Microstructural Abnormalities In Striatial And Medial-Temporal Tracts In Children With A History Of Early Severe Deprivation: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

MICROSTRUCTURAL ABNORMALITIES IN STRIATIAL AND MEDIAL-TEMPORAL TRACTS IN CHILDREN WITH A HISTORY OF EARLY SEVEREDEPRIVATION: A DIFFUSION TENSOR IMAGING STUDY byAMY L. VEENSTRAAUGUST 2013Advisor:Dr. Marjorie BeeghlyMajor:Psychology (Clinical)Degree:Doctor of PhilosophyThe purpose of this study was to determine if early social deprivation led todifferent patterns of frontal and/or medial-temporal cortical connectivity in internationallyadopted children and if these patterns of cortical connectivity were related to specificwhite matter tract or behavioral differences. Based on theories of brain development, itwas expected that environmental factors would impact children’s tract based differencesand behavioral differences. A sample of 30 internationally adopted children and 12comparison children participated in functional and structural imaging and aneuropsychological evaluation. For internationally adopted children frontal-corticalconnectivity showed patterns of diffuse and low connectivity, whereas medial-temporalcortical connectivity showed patterns of diffuse and “normal” connectivity. Patterns ofcortical connectivity were related several specific tract based differences and rates ofinternalizing problems. Tract based differences were the best indictor of emotional,behavioral, and executive functioning, with differed for the right medial-temporal toanteriortemporal, left medial-temporal to frontal, and left striatal-frontal tracts. Cortical